Higher Education (part-one)

Grinning and baring the Jr. High years.

This may come as a shock to you...but when I was younger, I didn't want to go to college.  To go back even farther, I never was a huge fan of school period.  Sure the social aspect was alright, but I always felt there was more in the world for me then sitting in a room and listening to someone drone on and on about equations or haiku's.

As my high school years happily came to an end, my parents were strict about me going to college.  Not going wasn't an option.  They picked the University of Southern Indiana.   A highlight of that first semester was two of my best friends were also going to USI and we ended up living together.

My 3rd semester was spent overseas in Grantham, England.  I was thrilled at the opportunity to get the dust off my passport and return to foreign soil, but it was also that semester that made me realize I had to get out of Southern Indiana.  As summertime approached I applied for and was offered a summer position in Grand Teton National Park.  That summer job turned into a year round job.  I begged my parents, "please let me sit out a couple semesters and stay in Wyoming...PLEASE!"  Knowing how serious they were about education I was shocked when they agreed to let me take "one year" off from my studies.  I was on cloud nine!  Not only did I get to live in the most awesome place ever...I was (temporarily) finished with college!!

Hiking in Paradise

For years my parents stressed the importance of getting my degree, yet it took 4 years in Wyoming and a random summer night for me to really "get it."  After a day of floating down the Snake River, one of the guys that steered the raft asked me when I planned on returning to college.  I laughed as I thought to myself, "why would I ever leave this place?  I have a good job, I live in the mountains, I'm happy!"  He proceeded to almost reprimand me and tell me "No one will ever take you serious without a degree.  Do you want to be a secretary for the rest of your life?" he asked.  Not that there was anything wrong with being a secretary, but that was a sobering thought.  I actually got mad that he said I would never be taken seriously.  But I also realized he may be right. 

After that summer came to an end, I did the unthinkable.  I packed up my life in the Tetons and drove home to Indiana.  I re-enrolled at the University of Southern Indiana and returned as a non-traditional student.  Returning to college as a non-traditional student was a completely different experience than when I started college right out of high school.  I took my classes and the work much more seriously.  I had direction this time around and set my eyes on graduation.  I also realized I didn't have a high tolerance for the air-heads that were in class with me.  I prayed to God that I didn't act like that in my early 20's. 

Hi I'm Kara and I'm a non-traditional student

After 2 years of hitting the books, I graduated.  There isn't anything that compares with the feeling of getting your college degree.  This degree that I never really wanted, but ended up working so hard for, was mine and no one could take that away.  It was a fabulous feeling and I was proud.  And believe it or not...I was a little melancholy.  At the time I was nearing graduation, I wrote this;

"Who would have guessed, that as I am nearing this significant occasion called graduation, I would have thought, "I'm going to miss this." No I haven't fallen and bumped my head, nor has the thought of "real life" scared me, but it will be those small, uneventful moments that I'll miss."

"It all began this evening while I was sitting in the university Starbucks. I was reading over my notes for the Labor Relations negotiation that was to take place in 15 minutes. As I sat in my overstuffed, purple velvet chair, I took a moment to let my surroundings sink in. At this point, my life is full. I am content with life and my surroundings. There is nothing I am lacking, or fretting about. My life is just where I would like it to be."

"The rain was pounding against the window next to me, and it seemed the rain could turn to snow at any minute. I had my notes laid out in front of me, and I felt fairly confident at the assignment I had before me. The fabulous music of Starbucks played overhead, and I was happy. Happy at the world. (it didn't hurt that I had a grande white chocolate mocha in my hand either)"

"The chairs around me were full of students looking over notes, reading books, and playing on their laptop. It was a peaceful scene. As I left the warmth and ventured out in the rain, I strolled across the now dark campus, and realized yet another thing I would miss. At night, the campus is so dark and peaceful. A few students buzzed past on their way to a night class. The rain had turned to mist and gave the buildings a fuzzy glow. In its own strange way, it was a beautiful night. I would miss this, the quiet of campus as the moon comes up." 

"Sitting in the computer lab, another scene played out before me. The steady click click of students pounding away on the keyboards, hurrying to finish the assignments they have procrastinated on. The printer hummed as page after page churned out. Occasionally a cell phone would go off, which promptly caused everyone to give that person a dirty look. Ahhh…the campus computer lab. Even at night, you could sense the urgency in some students."

"As my night class came to an end, I headed out across the empty parking lot. The cold night air stung my face and my foot steps echoed into the woods that surround. These are my last days as a college student. I won't be meeting new faces come next semester, nor will I have groups of people that I will be preparing for a presentation with. I never thought this day would get here, yet here it was."

"This isn't just a chapter of my life coming to an end, my life is getting ready for an entirely new book. I look forward to meeting the new characters that will fill its pages, as well as the adventures that are sure to spring up. Of course...if in a few months I am still missing the university life, there is always law school."

 

 

The internal changes that happen within each of us as we get older is amazing.  I went from hating  school to going back years later and enjoying myself.  And now I find myself employed part-time at the vary place I once dreaded going.  My love/hate relationship with school....so how does it feel to back at this stage in my life?  To Be Continued....

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